Clamping mechanism.



C. P. FERNALD. GLAMPING MEOHANISM. APPLICATION FILED un 21. 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 191.1.

WEJTJESSES:

f mja1 NTTE STATES PATENT OFFTCE:

CHARLES F. FERNALD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO KILGORE MANU-FACTURING COMPANY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CLAMPING- MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 21, 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Serial No. 562,644.

To all whom it may concer/n.:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. FERNALD, a citizen of the United States,residing in Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Clamping Mechanism, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a clamping mechanism for securing a normallyloose sleeve in fixed relation to a shaft, and is herein shown asembodied in a hanger for supporting one member of a shock absorbingdevice employed on automobiles.

The present invention has for its object to provide simple and efficientmeans for firmly clamping or securing the sleeve on the hanger so as toavoid lost motion and consequent rattle or noise, while providing foreasy and quick adjustment of the sleeve with relation to the member ofthe shock absorber.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is an exploded view in perspective of a sufficient portion of ahanger provided with a clamping mechanism embodying this invention. Fig.2, an elevation of the hanger and clamping mechanism shown in Fig. 1,assembled in operative relation, and showing also a portion of a shockabsorber, and Fig. 3, a detail in section to be referred to.

Referring to the drawing, a, o, Fig. 2, represent the members of a shockabsorber, one member of which as a is designed to be attached to theaxle c of the automobile or other vehicle, and the other member b ofwhich is designed to be attached to the vehicle body (not shown) in amanner well understood. In the present instance, the member a isattached to a hanger al, which is provided with a threaded arm l0,extended loosely through a sleeve or hollow boss 12 secured to orforming part of a clip 13, which coperates with a clip 14 and is securedthereto by the bolts or screws l5 to secure the sleeve or boss 12 to theaxle c. The threaded arm 10 is loosely extended through the sleeve orhollow boss 12 and is longitudinally adjustable therein, it beingsecured in its adjusted position by externally tapered nuts 16, 17,which engage tapered seats in the opposite ends of the hollow boss orsleeve 12. The construction Ias thus far described is not hereinclaimed.

The present invention relates more particularly to the mechanism forattaching the member a of the shock absorber to the hanger (l, wherebysaid attachment may be quickly and easily made and allow for the properpositioning of the member a with relation to the member I), and alsoprovide against wear, rattle or noise. To this end, the hanger (Z isprovided with an arm 2O extended at an angle to the arm 10 and having acylindrical extension 2l, which is provided with a socket comprising ascrewthreaded cylindrical portion 22 and an enlarged tapered end portion23, the walls of which are provided with one or more longitudinallyextended slots 24- and with external screw-threads 25. The cylindricalextension 21. has fitted upon it a sleeve 250 provided with a hollowboss 2G, which extends transversely of said sleeve and is designed to besecured between ears 27 on the member a, by a pivot bolt or screw 28.The sleeve 250 is provided on its inner circumference at its oppositeends with cone-shaped or taperintr portions 30. 31, with which cooperatesplit cones 32, 33, loosely fitted onto the cylindrical extension 21which forms practically one form of hollow shaft. The cones 32, 33coperate with the tapered seats at the opposite ends of the sleeve 250to obtain a tight fit on the shaft, and longitudinal movement of thesleeve on the shaft is prevented by means of a nut 35 screwed upon thethreaded split end 25 of said shaft. and preferably by a spring washer36, which is fitted loosely on the hollow shaft between the nut 35 andthe cone 32. The spring washer 36 is preferably of smaller externaldiameter than the cone 32 and nut 35 and fits into recesses 37, 88, inthese parts, so that when the nut is set up, it may abut against the endof the sleeve 25() and impart a neat and finished external appearance tothe clamping mechanism as represented in Fig. 2. The opposite end of thesleeve 250 bears against a flange or collar 39 on the hollow shaft 21.The sleeve 250 is loosely fitted on the shaft or extension 21 andcapable of longitudinal and rotary movements on the said shaft orextension. so as to adjust it with relation to the member a of the shockabsorber, and

when properly positioned, said sleeve may Y be secured in fixed positionon the said shaft shaft, said expanding device being provided as shownwith an angular' head 42, which is designed to be engaged by a wrench orother tool. lt will thus he seen, that as the threaded portion 40 of theexpanding device is screwed into the threaded portion 22 of the hollowshaft or extension 2l, the cone 471 cooperates with theconical innersurface 23 of the split end of the said shaft, and expands the` latteroutwardly into firm engagement with the nut 35, thereby locking thelatter and the sleeve 250 in their adjusted position on the hollowshaft.

The clamping mechanism herein shown is especially useful for attaching ashock ab# sorber to the hanger cl, but it is not desired to limit theinvention in this respect.

Claims.

l. The combination with a hanger having a hollow cylindrical extensionprovided with internal screw-threads and with a split end portion havingexternal screw-threads and tapering inner walls, of a sleeve fittedloosely on said hollow extension and p`rovided with tapered end portionson its interior, cone washers on said extension cooperating with thetapered end port-ionsl of said sleeve, a nut to engage the externallythreaded split end portion of said extension, 4a spring washerinterposed between said nut and sleeve, and an expanding device'providedwith a threaded portion to engage the internally threaded portion of thehollow extension and with a tapered portion to engage the internallytapered split portion of the hollow extension, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination with a hanger having a hollow extension provided withinternal screw-threads and with a split end portion having externalscrew-threads and tapering inner walls, of a sleeve loosely fitted onsaid hollow extension and provided with tapered end portions on itsinterior, cones on said hollow extension cooperating with the taperedend portions of said sleeve, a nut to engage the externally threadedsplit end portion of said extension, and an expanding device providedwith a threaded portion to engage the internally threaded portion of thehollowextension and with a tapered portion to engage the tapering innerwalls of said extension, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a hanger having a hollow extension, a sleeveloosely fitted on said extension and provided at its opposite ends withconical portions on the interior thereof, split cones on said shaftcooperating with the said conical portions, means to force the conesinto effective engageine'nt with said conical portions' and therebysecure said sleeve in fixed relation to said shaft, and meanscooperating with the interior surface of the hollow extension to locksaid forcing means in fixed position on said extension, substantially asdescribed.

et. The combination with a hollow shaft provided with internalscrew-threads and with a split end portion having external screw-threadsand tapering inner walls, of a sleeve fitted loosely on said hollowshaft and provided with tapered end portions on its interior, conewashers on saidV hollow shaft cooperating with the tapered end portionsof said sleeve, a nut to engage the externally threaded split endportion of said hollow shaft, a spring washer interposed between saidnut and sleeve, and an expanding device provided with a threaded portionto engage the internally threaded portion of the hollow shaft, and witha tapered portion to engage the tapering inner walls of t-he hollowshaft, substantially as described.

5'. The combination with a shaft having a flange and a threaded end, asleeve loosely fitted on said shaft and provided at' its opposite endswith tapering portions on its interior, a split cone on said shaftinterposed between said fiange and one end of the sleeve, a split coneon said shaft cooperating with the other end of said sleeve, and a nutto engage the threaded end of the shaft and cooperating with said flangeto force the cones into engagement with the sleeve and shaft and therebysecure the said sleeve in fixed position on said shaft, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I havesigned name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHRLES F. FERNALD.

Witnesses:

Jas. H. CHURCHILL, J; M; MURPHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C.

